Guinea impatiens plant named &#39;balcelichey&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘Balcelichey’ characterized by its large bright red-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, uniform medium upright, mounded growth habit, and excellent basal branching.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a new and distinct New GuineaImpatiens plant botanically known as Impatiens Hawkeri and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Balcelichey’.

[0002] The new cultivar was developed by the inventor in a controlledbreeding program during October 1999 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. Theobjective of the breeding program was to develop New Guinea Impatienscultivars with numerous large flowers, excellent basal branching andupright compact to moderate growth habits.

[0003] The female (seed) parent of ‘Balcelichey’ was the proprietaryImpatiens Hawkeri selection designated ‘BFP-2069’ (not patented)characterized by its upright growth habit, cherry rose-colored flowersand medium green-colored foliage. The male (pollen) parent of‘Balcelichey’ was the proprietary Impatiens Hawkeri selection designated‘LV36NG760’ (not patented) characterized by its upright habit, darkpurple-colored flowers, and dark green-colored foliage. ‘Balcelichey’was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within theprogeny of the above stated cross-pollination in April of 2000 at ArroyoGrande, Calif. and initially designated ‘2835-12’.

[0004] Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stemcuttings taken in West Chicago, Ill., since 2000, has demonstrated thatthe new cultivar reproduces true to type with all the characteristics,as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successivegenerations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The new cultivar has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such astemperature, light intensity, and day length without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

[0006] It was repeatedly found that the cultivar of the presentinvention:

[0007] 1. Exhibits large round red-colored flowers,

[0008] 2. Forms dark green-colored foliage,

[0009] 3. Exhibits a good basal branching character, and

[0010] 4. Exhibits a medium, upright mounded growth habit.

[0011] Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the femaleparent primarily in foliage color and from plants of the male parentprimarily in flower color.

[0012] Of the many commercially available New Guinea Impatiens cultivarsknown to the inventor, ‘Balcelichey’ is most similar to ‘Martinique’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,149). However, in side-by -side comparisonsconducted in West Chicago, Ill., plants of the new cultivar differedfrom plants of ‘Martinique’ in the following characteristics:

[0013] 1. Plants of the new cultivar are more vigorous than plants of‘Martinique’.

[0014] 2. Flowers of the plants of the new cultivar are larger thanflowers of the plants of ‘Martinique’.

[0015] 3. Plants of the new cultivar have less pubescence on the leavesand stems than plants of ‘Martinique’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

[0016] The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it isreasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of thistype, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar.Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited inthe detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of‘Balcelichey’. The plants were grown from rooted cuttings for 11 weeksin a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

[0017]FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and floweringhabit of ‘Balcelichey’.

[0018]FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of a single flower of‘Balcelichey’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The chart used in the identification of colors described hereinis The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England, 1995 edition, except where general color terms of ordinarysignificance are used. The color values were determined on Aug. 15, 2003between 1:00 and 1:45 p.m. under natural daylight conditions.

[0020] The following measurements and comparisons describe plantsproduced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown undergreenhouse conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice.The plants were grown in 10 cm pots for 11 weeks utilizing a soillessgrowth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately68°-75° F. during the day and approximately 58°-65° F. during the night.Greenhouse light levels were maintained at approximately 4,000-7,000footcandles during the day.

[0021] Classification: Impatiens Hawkeri cultivar Balcelichey.

[0022] Parentage:

[0023]Female (seed) parent.—Proprietary Impatiens Hawkeri selectiondesignated BFP-2069 (not patented).

[0024]Male (pollen) parent.—Proprietary Impatiens Hawkeri selectiondesignated LV36NG760 (not patented).

[0025] Propagation:

[0026]Type cutting.—Terminal stem.

[0027]Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7-14 days.

[0028]Time to develop a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 days.

[0029]Root description.—Fine, fibrous.

[0030]Rooting habit.—Freely branching.

[0031] Plant Description:

[0032]Habit of growth.—Moderately vigorous with good basal branching. Amature plant, 11 weeks after the planting of a rooted cutting, commonlymeasures approximately 25.2 cm from soil level to top of plant plane andapproximately 42.2 cm in width (plant spread).

[0033]Plant form.—Upright and mounded.

[0034]Branches.—Quantity per plant: Approximately 7. Length:Approximately 14.9 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1 cm. Texture: Glabrous.Color: 144B overlaid with 183A. Internode length: Approximately 5.5 cm.

[0035]Foliage.—Type: Simple. Arrangement: Alternate. Shape: Elliptic.Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Serrulate, ciliate. Texture ofupper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Size ofmature foliage: Length: Approximately 9.4 cm. Width: Approximately 3 cm.Color of mature foliage: Upper surface: 139A with veins and mid-vein of185C. Lower surface: 147B with veins and mid-veins of 185B. Petiole:Length: Approximately 2 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3 mm. Texture ofupper and lower surface: Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surface:185A.

[0036] Flower Description:

[0037]Flower type.—Single, not fragrant with self-cleaning petals.

[0038]Flowering habit.—Freely flowering with flowers positioned abovethe foliage and facing outward or upward.

[0039]Natural flowering season.—Year round in greenhouse environment.Flowering is continuous from spring until fall in the garden.

[0040]Flower longevity on plant.—Approximately 10 days.

[0041]Quantity of flowers and buds per stem.—Approximately 3 fully openflowers and 5 buds at any one time.

[0042]Mature flower bud (just before opening).—Shape: Ovate. Length:Approximately 2 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.3 cm. Color of petals:Closest to 53C.

[0043]Flower shape.—Round, flat.

[0044]Flower size.—Diameter: Approximately 7.3 cm. Depth: Approximately1.3 cm.

[0045]Petals.—Quantity: Five per flower. Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire.Apex: Emarginate. Base: Superior petal has truncate base, other fourpetals have attenuate bases. Texture: Smooth. Appearance: Iridescent.Size: Superior petal length: 2.8 cm. Superior petal width: 4.3 cm.Lateral petal length: 3.8 cm. Lateral petal width: 3.6 cm. Lower petallength: 4.4 cm. Lower petal width: 4.1 cm. Color of upper surface:Lighter and slightly redder than 60A at margin, N66B in center and base.Lower surface: 53D.

[0046]Calyx.—Quantity of sepals: Three, with base of lower sepalmodified into a spur. Sepal shape: Ovate. Sepal apex: Acuminate. Textureof both surfaces: Glabrous. Lateral sepal length: Approximately 1 cm.Lateral sepal width: Approximately 6 mm. Color of both surfaces oflateral sepal: Background of 144C overlaid with 185A. Lower sepallength: Approximately 1.5 cm. Lower sepal width: Approximately 1.1 cm.Color of both surfaces of lower sepal: Background of 62C overlaid with61C and with veins and margin of 61B.

[0047]Spur.—Quantity: One per flower. Length: Approximately 5.6 cm.Diameter at flower: 2.6 mm. Diameter at tip: 0.7 mm. Aspect: Curveddownward. Color: 53A.

[0048]Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Angle to stem: Acute. Length:Approximately 4.8 cm. Diameter: 1.7 mm. Color: 185A.

[0049]Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Five stamens, anthers are fusedtogether forming one organ that surrounds the pistil. Filaments arefree. Generally, the anthers shed pollen prior to the stigma becomingreceptive. Filament color: 45B. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: 3 mm.Anther color: 11D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 10D.Gynoecium: Pistil number: One per flower. Pistil length: 7 mm. Stigmashape: Five pointed star. Stigma length: 0.5 mm. Stigma color: Colorlessand translucent. Style length: 0.5 mm. Style color: 154D andtranslucent. Ovary length: 6 mm. Ovary diameter: 2 mm. Ovary texture:Glabrous. Ovary color: 144A overlaid with N186A.

[0050] Seed and fruit development: Neither seed nor fruit production hasbeen observed.

[0051] Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pestscommon to impatiens has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New GuineaImpatiens plant named ‘Balcelichey’ substantially, as herein shown anddescribed, which:
 1. Exhibits large round red-colored flowers,
 2. Formsdark green-colored foliage,
 3. Exhibits a good basal branchingcharacter, and
 4. Exhibits a medium upright, mounded growth habit.